Dispensing package



May 29, 1962 N. J. AS'MAN 3,036,729

DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Jan. 23, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1962 I N. .1. ASMAN 3,036, 9

DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Jan. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet z United States Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan.. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,359 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-48) This invention'relates to an interfolded sheet dispensing package. More specifically, the invention comprises a carton of parallelopiped form, made of paperboard or other suitable material, containing a stack of interfolded paper sheets. Successive sheets for dispensing are maintainedin aligned relation to the dispensing opening in the carton to facilitate removal of one sheet at a time with the succeeding sheet being maintained in a partially extended position above the dispensing opening.

Difficulty has been encountered in the dispensing of sheets from conventional packages of this general type, particularly after'a major portion of the sheets have been dispensed from a package which originally contained a relatively large quantity of sheets. Although each sheet dispensed or removed from the carton lifts the succeeding sheet partially above the dispensing opening, such succeeding sheet has a tendency to fall back below the opening. This necessitates reaching down into the carton when the succeeding sheet is needed at a later time, hence making quick dispensing inconvenient and even difficult.

One method employed to solve this problem is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,326,433, in which the stack of interfolded sheets is divided into two parts by separate trays which are retained in a carton. The carton has a dispensing opening on each of two sides to serve the separate stacks. Using this construction the depth from the opening to the bottom of the stack is minimized since each opening serves one-half of the carton. This method is unsatisfactory since an opening on each side of the carton tends to weaken the carton construction. Furthermore, this method is uneconomical since the use of dividing trays or separators entails the use of more board increasing the cost of the package and the overall time for packaging is increased since the sheets must first be put in the trays prior to insertion in the carton.

The present invention has overcome these difficulties in a very simple and effective manner which will be apparent from the following specification and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a single blank suitably cut and scored to form a dispensing carton,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG- URE 1 partially erected,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the completed carton showing the bottom panel,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the completed carton with the opening panel of the top panel removed and one of the interfolded sheets extended, 7

FIGURE 5 is a cutaway perspective view of the dispensing package with the interfolded sheets removed down to the support panels which constitute a feature of this invention, and

FIGURE 6 is a cutaway perspective view of the dispensing package showing the dispensing of interfolded sheets with the aid of the support panels.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the carton shown in FIG- URE 3 is made of a single foldable blank of suitable flexible material such as paperboard. The blank is divided by score lines indicated by numerals It) to 18 and 20, perforated score lines 21, 22 and 24 and cut lines 19 and 23 to form panels and flaps including bottom panel 30, side panels 31, 33, top panel 32, end panels 34, dust flaps 35, inner end panels 36, support panels 37, glue flap 38, tear flap 39, guide panels 40 and openatent ing panel 41. End panels 34 are coated with adhesive in the stippled areas shown in FIGURE 1. The end edges of support panels 37 are notched arcuately at 25 for a purpose to be described later herein. Curved sections formed by cut lines 23 in top panel 32 facilitate the dispensing of the interfolded sheets as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The blank is first formed into a glued carton shell. Panel 31 with panel 30 hingedly attached thereto by score line 10 is folded about score l-ine 1'1 so that panels 30 and 3 1 overlie panels 32 and 33. Adhesive is applied to glue flap 33 lying between score lines 13 and 14. Glue flap 38 is then infolded along score line 13 and adhered to bottom panel 30. The glued carton blank is squared. At this stage in the setting up of the carton end panels 34, dust flaps 35, inner end panels 36 and support panels 37 extend from and are coplanar with the top, side and bottom panels, respectively, of the squared carton shell. interfolded sheets designated 5t} in FIGURES 4 to 6, are inserted in the glued shell. Support panels 37 are folded inwardly so that the angle formed by the support panels 37 and inner end panels 36 is appreciably less than ninety degrees. Inner end panels 36 are then plowed or folded inwardly forcing support panels 37 between adjacent sheets in the stack of interfolded sheets. Support panels 37 lie essentially parallel to and equidistant from the top and bottom panels 32 and 30, respectively, and inner end panels 36 lie at right angles to the bottom, top and support panels 30', 32 and 37, respectively, as shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6. When thus plowed in, panels 37 serve to approximately divide the stack of interfolded sheets in half. FIGURE 2 shows the blank of FIGURE 1 partially folded to illustrate the position of the glue flaps 35, inner end panels 36 and support panels 37 in the completed package. Next dust flaps '35 are folded inwardly to-overlie the outside surface of the inner end panels 36. The end panels 34 bearing adhesive are infolded into abutting adhered relationship with the subposed glue flaps and inner end panels. The completed package as shown in FIGURE 3 is then shipped in that form with the dispensing opening closed so as to prevent entry of dust or any other deleterious substances into the package.

The consumer, in order to dispense the packaged sheets, removes tear panel 41 and pulls up on the first of the interfolded sheets 50 as shown in FIGURE 4. After the first sheet is removed, each succeeding interfolded sheet 50 being dispensed or removed from the carton carries along the next following sheet which rises at least partially above the opening as shown in FIGURE 6.

As shown in FIGURE 6, each succeeding interfolded sheet has its folded edge on the opposite side of the package from the sheet following it. For example, the fold line of the sheet shown in extended position lies adjacent one side panel while the fold line of the following sheet lies adjacent the opposite side panel. This interfolded relationship gives an alternating dispensing action when the sheets are removed. One sheet comes out along the edge of the dispensing opening defined by 21, 22, 23 adjacent score line 11 while the following sheet comes out along the edge adjacent score line 12. In other words the sheets when dispensed alternate on each side of curved portions 24. When the package is emptied down to the level-of support panels 37, flaps 40 are depressed as shown in FIGURE 5 to aid in maintaining each following sheet at least partially above the dispensing opening. Although the sheets may be dispensed without depression of flaps 49, the dispensing action is more efiicient when the flaps are depressed since they form a guide to the dispensing opening and help to maintain each following sheet in an upright position. When the sheets located below support panels 37 are withdrawn, the

notches 25 hold the leading portion of each following sheet in an upright position (FIGURE 6) to prevent the sheet from falling back below the dispensing opening. Frictional contact is maintained between the curved portions 23 and 25 and the edges of the sheets by having the length of the dispensing opening and distance between notches 25 less than the width of the interfolded sheets. Therefore, even when only a few sheets are left in the package, the combination of the notches 25 in support panels 37 in conjunction with curved sections 23 in the top panel supports each succeeding sheet so there is a continuous pop-up action.

If the interfolded sheets are to be used in a metal dispenser, they are removed en masse from the package. This is accomplished by pulling up on tear flap 39 so that glue flap 38 tears away from the bottom panel 30. Side panel 33 is then pulled outwardly away from the interfolded sheets with consequential tearing along score lines 16 to expose the stack of interfolded sheets. The sheets are removed and placed in the metal dispenser. This feature does not constitute an element of this invention since it renders unnecessary the use of the novel construction for dispensing the interfolded sheets.

The present invention provides a convenient dispensing package, the carton employed in said package being made of a single blank requiring a minimum amount of paperboard. The squared carton can be loaded and closed easily and quickly with automatic machinery. The carton design insures efficient pop-up" action of each succeeding sheet down to the last one in the box.

It is obvious that many modifications may be made which are within the spirit of this invention, and it is in tended to include such modifications Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package for dispensing interfolded sheets; said package comprising a carton formed of a single blank suitably cut and scored to form a container of rectangular form in cross-section having a bottom panel, opposed side panels, opposed inner end panels, opposed end panels, a top panel containing a removable dispensing panel that provides an elongated dispensing opening essentially parallel to said side panels and perpendicular to said end panels, and substantially horizontal support panels hingedly connected to said inner end panels intermediate said top and bottom panels and extending inwardly an appreciable distance therefrom between said interfolded sheets, said support panels being notched arcuately intermediate said side panels to act as a guide for said sheets lying beneath said support panels, said interfolded sheets having their fold lines lying essentially parallel to said elongated opening, the distance between said notches being less than the width of said sheets so as to maintain frictional contact with said sheets.

2. A package for dispensing interfolded sheets; said package comprising a carton formed of a single blank suitably cut and scored to form a container of rectangular form in cross-section having a bottom panel, opposed side panels, opposed inner end panels, opposed end panels, a top panel containing a removable dispensing panel that provides an elongated dispensing opening essentially parallel to said side panels and perpendicular to said end panels, and substantially horizontal support panels hingedly connected to said inner end panels intermediate said top and bottom panels and extending inwardly an appreciable distance therefrom between said interfolded sheets, said support panels being notched arcuately intermediate said side panels to act as a guide for said sheets lying beneath said support panels, said interfolded sheets having their fold lines lying essentially parallel to said elongated opening, the length of said dispensing opening and the distance between said notches being less than the Width of said sheets so as to maintain frictional contact with said sheets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,633,865 Lorenz June 28, 1927 1,695,463 Lipschutz Dec. 18, 1928 2,023,542 Peck Dec. 10, 1935 2,473,932 Wolf June 21, 1949 

